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Keith Woodford

About

Keith Woodford is an independent consultant who holds honorary positions as Professor of Agri-Food Systems at Lincoln University and Senior Research Fellow at the Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria University. His archived writings are available at http://keithwoodford.wordpress.com

Member for

13 years 4 months

Latest articles

Will losing guaranteed milk supply stir Goodman Fielder to action?
Keith Woodford says a lot depends on how Singapore/Hong Kong-owned Goodman Fielder responds to potential changes to their cosy access to Fonterra's milk supply
by Keith Woodford
4
Keith Woodford says a lot depends on how Singapore/Hong Kong-owned Goodman Fielder responds to potential changes to their cosy access to Fonterra's milk supply
Back to the drawing board for Fonterra governance
Keith Woodford considers what Fonterra needs to think about while they "take a breath", suggests a better voting system, shows dangers of a too-small board
by Keith Woodford
Keith Woodford considers what Fonterra needs to think about while they "take a breath", suggests a better voting system, shows dangers of a too-small board
Dairy price estimates are consistently wrong
Keith Woodford looks at Fonterra's latest payment forecast, separating what is 'hope' from what is 'prediction', and showing how it affects farm gate cash flows
by Keith Woodford
17
Keith Woodford looks at Fonterra's latest payment forecast, separating what is 'hope' from what is 'prediction', and showing how it affects farm gate cash flows
Fonterra’s governance and the Trojan horse
Keith Woodford says Fonterra's proposal to change its governance structure is stacked, with farmers only getting a take-it-or-leave-it option
by Keith Woodford
7
Keith Woodford says Fonterra's proposal to change its governance structure is stacked, with farmers only getting a take-it-or-leave-it option
One-trick pony dairy industry yet to come to terms with risks of WMP dependence
Keith Woodford says to reduce our risks from a highly volatile product, we are going to have to restructure our dairy industry. It won't be easy
by Keith Woodford
33
Keith Woodford says to reduce our risks from a highly volatile product, we are going to have to restructure our dairy industry. It won't be easy
Vietnam aligns with the West
Keith Woodford sees Vietnam working diligently to get out of China's shadow, using an open internet to access markets which is helping boost living standards quickly
by Keith Woodford
7
Keith Woodford sees Vietnam working diligently to get out of China's shadow, using an open internet to access markets which is helping boost living standards quickly
Rattling Fonterra’s governance is not enough
Keith Woodford identifies six big governance failures at the icon dairy coop. Without knowledgeable, passionate member-directors, the board becomes captured by management
by Keith Woodford
12
Keith Woodford identifies six big governance failures at the icon dairy coop. Without knowledgeable, passionate member-directors, the board becomes captured by management
EU ramps up dairy production again
Higher European dairy production is bad news for New Zealand with no tapering off evident, and their cranking up of WMP production
by Keith Woodford
8
Higher European dairy production is bad news for New Zealand with no tapering off evident, and their cranking up of WMP production
Dairy prices are not predictable
Keith Woodford says predicting a specific season's milk payout price will always mislead; the best we can do is target a range over a longer time period
by Keith Woodford
18
Keith Woodford says predicting a specific season's milk payout price will always mislead; the best we can do is target a range over a longer time period
America’s mega dairy farms
Keith Woodford sees the huge dairy operations in the US being globally competitive but not focused on commodity markets
by Keith Woodford
6
Keith Woodford sees the huge dairy operations in the US being globally competitive but not focused on commodity markets
Understanding European Dairy
Keith Woodford says it is wrong to say that the European industry survives only because of subsidies
by Keith Woodford
21
Keith Woodford says it is wrong to say that the European industry survives only because of subsidies
Fonterra: good news but some underlying issues
Keith Woodford gets under the hood of Fonterra's half year profit announcement and looks at what some of the figures tell us
by Keith Woodford
12
Keith Woodford gets under the hood of Fonterra's half year profit announcement and looks at what some of the figures tell us
Cutting through the spin at Fonterra
Keith Woodford wants Fonterra to get rid of the spin, communicate with its shareholders and other stakeholders with transparency, through good times and bad
by Keith Woodford
36
Keith Woodford wants Fonterra to get rid of the spin, communicate with its shareholders and other stakeholders with transparency, through good times and bad
Controlling dairy farm cost of production
Keith Woodford finds no silver bullet on how to make the right choices in the cost control battle - but he does find 'lots of little things' will give cost efficiency
by Keith Woodford
23
Keith Woodford finds no silver bullet on how to make the right choices in the cost control battle - but he does find 'lots of little things' will give cost efficiency
A Fonterra thought experiment: where to from here?
Keith Woodford assesses Fonterra's strategic challenges, tactical options and looming risks
by Keith Woodford
65
Keith Woodford assesses Fonterra's strategic challenges, tactical options and looming risks
Surviving the dairy downturn as outlook goes from bad to awful
Keith Woodford says the key issue for many dairy farmers now is survival with NZ farmers needing to wait out European dairy restructuring
by Keith Woodford
99
Keith Woodford says the key issue for many dairy farmers now is survival with NZ farmers needing to wait out European dairy restructuring
A2 cows are the future
Keith Woodford calls on NZ dairy farms to wake up to what is happening with A2 milk. Despite the NZ science base, local farmers have missed the boat and the economic benefit
by Keith Woodford
20
Keith Woodford calls on NZ dairy farms to wake up to what is happening with A2 milk. Despite the NZ science base, local farmers have missed the boat and the economic benefit
The year ahead for agri-food
Keith Woodford takes an expert look ahead, assessing what can be expected from the challenges and opportunities facing the New Zealand agri-food sector
by Keith Woodford
8
Keith Woodford takes an expert look ahead, assessing what can be expected from the challenges and opportunities facing the New Zealand agri-food sector
Agri-food good news stories for 2015
Among the challenges of 2015 are some major success stories in the agri-food sector. Keith Woodford uncovers some of the stars
by Keith Woodford
4
Among the challenges of 2015 are some major success stories in the agri-food sector. Keith Woodford uncovers some of the stars
Ongoing disruption and volatility in dairy
Keith Woodford reports on disruption and volatility in global dairy markets, with some players doing much better than others
by Keith Woodford
1
Keith Woodford reports on disruption and volatility in global dairy markets, with some players doing much better than others
China demographics and the two child policy
Keith Woodford says changing China's child policies will only benefit dairy briefly. Tourism & old-age products are where big changes will occur
by Keith Woodford
1
Keith Woodford says changing China's child policies will only benefit dairy briefly. Tourism & old-age products are where big changes will occur
Non-seasonal dairy
Keith Woodford looks at the downstream realities for dairy farmers and concludes that, despite the upfront costs, non-seasonal free-stall barn systems will better respond to what value-add markets need
by Keith Woodford
28
Keith Woodford looks at the downstream realities for dairy farmers and concludes that, despite the upfront costs, non-seasonal free-stall barn systems will better respond to what value-add markets need
China Business Summit and the online marketing of food
Keith Woodford says that ‘NZ Inc food baskets from down under’ are the multi-billion dollar opportunity for us in China. He calls for a comprehensive public/private partnership
by Keith Woodford
25
Keith Woodford says that ‘NZ Inc food baskets from down under’ are the multi-billion dollar opportunity for us in China. He calls for a comprehensive public/private partnership
Climbing the agri-food value chain
Keith Woodford says New Zealand businesses must act together to get the huge potential benefits from online marketing of food
by Keith Woodford
22
Keith Woodford says New Zealand businesses must act together to get the huge potential benefits from online marketing of food
Dairy farmers 'getting it wrong'
Keith Woodford has a close look at on-farm strategy, tactics, and the Lincoln dairy farm
by Keith Woodford
21
Keith Woodford has a close look at on-farm strategy, tactics, and the Lincoln dairy farm